OCEAN PINES – Association officials last week approved $190,000 in emergency replacement work for a failing bulkhead at the golf course.
Last week, the Ocean Pines Association (OPA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to proceed with $190,635 of bulkhead work along the third green of the gold course.
General Manager John Viola told board members the section – originally slated for replacement in the 2022-2023 season – would be replaced to prevent damage to the course and nearby bridge.
“It’s really bad,” he said. “This should have been done three years ago.”
Viola said the replacement would cost $355 per linear foot. He added Fisher Marine submitted the lowest bid price.
“It’s 537 linear feet,” he said. “We do have money in the budget.”
When asked how directors should respond to residents who have complaints about failing bulkheads at their properties, officials encouraged them to contact [email protected].
He said input from community members would assist the association as it begins to develop its next four-year replacement plan.
“We are looking at the next four-year plan, where they go out and review everything and put it together …,” he said. “There is a list, just like the roads, where everything is rated.”
When asked how long the replacement work would take, Viola said it would take roughly a month to complete. He noted there would be minimal disruptions at the golf course.
“We believe we’ll only need to shut that bridge down … for half a day, a day at the most,” he added.
The board last week also agreed to extend a three-year contract with Matt Ortt Companies for food and beverage operations.
Viola noted a $130,000 operating profit in the first year of the contract would trigger a fourth year to be added. While the company missed that mark by $10,996, he said company leaders were asking the board to consider the extension.
“With the PPP, Matt Ortt was about $11,000 short of the automatic trigger. However, they provided a lot of company service during COVID …,” he said. “They are asking for relief on that, asking for the trigger of the fourth year.”
Viola added that as a gesture of good faith, Matt Ortt Companies was willing to increase their profit threshold for a fifth-year extension from $160,000 to $175,000.
“They’re willing to increase that $160,000 to $175,000 the second year to offset this $10,000 …,” he said. “I’m telling you next year they will knock it out of the park.”
Director Doug Parks said he supported the motion to extend the company’s contract and increase the second-year operating profit threshold. He noted, however, that contract changes would be dependent on the input of legal counsel.
“I just want to make sure we are doing it with the proper procedure …,” he said. “I want to make sure we’ve checked with the Matt Ortt Companies attorneys and our attorneys.”
With no further discussion, the board voted unanimously to the proposed contract extension.
